I Could Never Love My Enemy
by Dravas
Summary: Juliet Fray is sent to Moonacre to live with her uncle, but she finds herself in more trouble than she expected when she meets Robin De Noir. Their stubborn personalities clash, yet they can't stay away. Though Robin has promised his love to another.
1. The Journey

The death of Juliet's father came as a shock until her mother found the outstanding gambling debts. Her mother cried for a week when she discovered her late husband had gambled away every valuable they owned; even much of Juliet's money was gone. They were on the street before her father was even in his grave. Juliet, who had always been aware of her father's addiction, kept many of things that she couldn't bear to part with in her locker at school. She hid away her sketchbook, her favourite book, about two hundred pounds, and her great-great grandmother's pearl necklace. As there was no money left, Juliet was forced to leave her prestigious art school.

With her money, Juliet bought a bus ticket, at her mother's request, to the countryside, where her mother's family home, Moonacre, resided. It was a one-way bus ticket. Her mother told her that Juliet that she was to live with an uncle that Juliet had never even heard of, let alone met. She was also going on this journey alone as her mother was going to try to find a job so that they could put their lives back together.

Juliet didn't protest. She knew that it would be no use; her mother was just as hard headed as she fwas. So she packed the few belongings that she had left and headed to a valley that she had never even heard of; Moonacre.

The bus dropped her off near a sign that read: "Silverydew, 6km." Behind the sign lay a beaten, unpaved path that was too narrow for a car to pass through. Juliet knew that no one was coming for her because no one even knew she was visiting. In her knapsack, she held a letter addressed to her uncle informing him of the situation. Her mother didn't want to risk a responding letter telling her that she was unwelcome, but she knew that her brother, given no other alternative, would never turn away his own niece when she stood on his doorstep with no where else to go. That was also why her mother did not accompany her to Moonacre.

Juliet took a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolded it. Her mother's hand drawn map was a little vague, but she eventually found the path on the map. It was a winding road, but it didn't branch out do she knew that it would be easy to follow. According to her mother, it was a half an hour run to the gate and a three-hour hike to the manor.

'There by suppertime,' she giggled to herself as she tied up her curled red hair is a quick twist. She took the white ribbon she wore around her neck and tied it to her knapsack. She pulled her fingerless gloves over her hands and began to jog. This was one of the very few times that Juliet was glad that her mother had forced her to participate in track and field. She picked up the pace and sprinted across the English countryside following the designated path.

Juliet had spent her summers by a lake with her parents. Her father would take her fishing and her mother would make cobblers with the berries they would pick. They were the pleasant memories that she tried to hold onto. She had always loved the fresh air and the stars. It was a nice reprieve from the stink of London, but she found the quiet of the country unnerving.

Slowing her pace after nearly fifteen minutes of running, she noticed that her stomach was growling. Without completely stopping, Juliet took her bag off her back and pulled out an apple she had stolen from a grocer's back in London. She bit into the apple, creating a satisfying crunch.

If she hadn't been listening, it may have masked the crunch of branch from the nearby woods. Juliet tossed the finished apple core at the sound, hoping that she was feeding a hungry rabbit but also listening for any human sounds.

"You lost, sweetheart?" a young man asked as he emerged from the forest. He was a little older than Juliet with curly brown hair. He was dressed all in black; there was even a piece of fabric tied across his face, covering his nose. There were feathers and jingling trinkets hanging off his leather jacket and he wore a red scarf around his neck. He looked like he lost a bet.

"Don't call me sweetheart," she growled, "and I'm not lost. I know where I am."

He smirked, pushing his hat to the back of his head. "Whatever you say darling," he answered.

Juliet rolled her eyes. She had a long way to go and she didn't have time for local bumpkins. She turned to walk away from him, but he grabbed a hold of her elbow.

"You're not going anywhere, darling," the boy proclaimed.

She whirled around, slamming her tight fist into his chest. The boy released her arm, stumbling backwards. Juliet kicked him in the shin.

"Little witch!" he snarled as he clutched his chest.

Laughter exploded from the forest as two other black-clad boys emerged from the woods. "Can't handle her, Robin?" one of them mocked.

"Shut up!" the first boy snarled. Robin's dark eyes were consumed with rage, but at the same time desperation as he looked at Juliet. He looked almost like a beaten dog with a steak being waved before his eyes.

His gang surrounded Juliet, like vultures circling a corpse. They cooed and snickered at her as they moved in. "Here pretty!" one laughed. "Come on, don't be a little prude."

Juliet glanced around, searching for an exit. She decided that she would have to run through them and head for the gate, which according to her mother's sketches was climbable. Feeling cheeky, Juliet flashed a smirk a Robin before taking off like a jackrabbit. She pushed past the boys, wildly attacking them with her balled fists, and kept running, even though they were at her heels.

From their groans and grumbles, they didn't think that such a small girl could run so fast. Their complaints stopped once the wall and gate came into view. They laughed, yelling at her that she had nowhere left to run. They thought that she was trapped like a rat, but she was just full of surprises.

Juliet leaped into the air, pushing off against a lower stone, launching her forward. She grabbed a hold of the warm stones and began to climb, to the utter surprise of the young men below her. They could have climbed after her, but they remained on the ground.

"She's not a girl, she's a cat!" Robin yelled after her. "Come on love, come down before you hurt yourself."

Once she reached the top, Juliet turned back to glare at them. "Not a chance! Now go away before my uncle has your heads!" she screamed after them.

They laughed. "Oh, we're shaking in our boots!" one of the nameless boys laughed.

Blood rushed to her cheeks. "My uncle is _Sir_ Benjamin Merryweather! He is the lord of a manor so you hooligans had better leave me alone!" she didn't know how much of what she was saying was true. She had never met her uncle and he didn't even know that she was coming.

Robin's eyes widened. "Benjamin Merryweather is your uncle?"

Juliet did not respond. She simply stared at them. "Bye boys," she said before beginning to climb down the wall. She heard a barking sound so she looked down at the ground to see a gigantic black dog with strange red eyes snarling and barking at the boys through the gate.

They seemed intimidated by the massive black dog. She debated whether or not it was wise to descend any further. Her options were to either climb back up to be pushed around and possibly inappropriately touched by a band of boys who may simply slit her throat, or she could climb down and possibly be ripped to shreds by a demon dog. Oddly enough, Juliet picked the latter. She jumped off the wall when she was about a meter and a half from the ground. The dog glanced back at her, softening its expression. It glared at the boys again. She glanced through the iron gate to see that the boys were still standing there, but in fear. The dog turned away from them and trotted over to Juliet. It stopped by her side, staring up at her with its tongue hanging out.

Juliet had never been one for dogs or really any animals. She had never been allowed a pet so she didn't really know how to act around them.

"We'll get you," Robin snarled as he dared to approach the gate, "next time, Moon Princess." He pressed his hands against the bars.

'Moon Princess? Is he mad?' she wondered, but did not make her ponderings known. She laughed, turning away. She began to run up the path, hoping that the boys were not following her, but then the dog had scared them. She glanced back to see that they dispersed back into the woods. There leader, Robin, lingered a little longer to glare daggers into Juliet, who stuck her tongue out at him before running up the winding dirt road with the large dog by her side. He vanished like his comrades into the deep mysteriousness of the woods.

Juliet slowed her pace to a light jog. The manor was in view, though it was far off. She patted the dog's head. "Good boy," she cooed. Hoping that the pooch was a male.

Nearly twenty minutes later, a horse drawn cart pulled up beside Juliet. The cart was filled with straw. The driver tipped his floppy black hat at her. "Mornin' miss," he said. "What are you doing here?"

Juliet hesitated, but felt oddly comfortable around him. He reminded her of a fairytale character though she couldn't pinpoint which one. "I'm going to see my uncle Benjamin Merryweather," she said quietly.

The man smiled. "I am heading up to Moonacre myself. Climb in I'll take you the rest of the way," the man said as he pointed to his cart. He looked at the dog. "Hello Wrolf. What are you doing out of the house?"

Juliet scratched Wrolf's ear. "You know him?" she asked.

The man nodded. "I work for your uncle. Wrolf is his dog," he explained. "The name is Digweed."

"Juliet," she responded as she climbed into the cart. The dog jumped in after her.

Digweed nodded. "Nice to make your acquaintance," he said. "Does your uncle know that you're coming? He didn't say anything to me this morning. We could have picked you up. There are dangerous people in the forests."

Juliet hesitated. "He doesn't know yet," she whispered.

Digweed nodded. "Alright, deary. Hold on," he said as he forced the horse to move forward at a slow pace.

The mansion came into view and Juliet nearly cried at how beautiful it was. The manor was a pale grey with a darker grey roof and was surrounded by an eight-foot wall surrounding it. There were towers that reminded Juliet of the one that you would see in fairytales. A small green house stood near the house. Around the house stood tall oak trees that looked to be centuries old. Juliet couldn't wait to climb them, assuming her uncle would allow her.

Juliet's mother had never mentioned her brother so she had no idea what her uncle was like. For all she knew, he was a tyrant. She thought of asking Digweed about his employer, but was to shy to do so. Wrolf hopped out of the moving cart once they had reached the metal gate of Moonacre. Digweed walked up to it and pushed it open before returning to his cart. The sun was dipping in the west as they drove through the gate. They were on the grounds of the manor. Digweed closed the gate.

A man stood outside of the front door with his arms crossed. His hair was darker than her mother's hair, but they both had the same grey eyes. She also inherited that particular family trait. He was dressed in a thick black peacoat and a pair of dress pants. His expression was solemn. His grey eyes clouded over when he realized that Digweed had picked up a stowaway.

"Who is this?" he demanded. His voice boomed like thunder, causing a knot to grow in Juliet's throat. Her image of a tyrant reappeared in her mind.

Digweed smiled despite his employer's cold tone. "This is Juliet," he said, but that was not exactly what Benjamin had wanted as an answer.

Juliet leaped out of the cart and walked up to her uncle. "My name is Juliet Fray. I'm Annabelle Merryweather's daughter," she introduced herself. She handed him the letter that her mother had given her.

He snatched it from her. Benjamin ripped open the envelope and scanned the short letter. His frown grew deeper as he went on. Benjamin crumpled the paper. "That bastard," he hissed. "I told her not to marry that irresponsible ass." He looked up quickly at Juliet. "I'm sorry for your loss," he added flatly.

She shook her head. "No you aren't and neither am I," she replied. "My father was a horrible person who left his wife and child with nothing but bills."

Benjamin stared at her. He cracked a small grim. "Well I guess that I can't turn you away, just like Annie planned," he sighed. "She always was a devious little thing."

He rubbed his forehead. "Come in," he said. "I'll figure out what to do with you in the morning."


	2. Next Day

Her uncle didn't join her for dinner, nor did she see him for the rest of the evening. Juliet assumed that it was due to her presence, but Digweed later informed her that his employer hardly ever ate supper these days. That explanation didn't seem much better than hers. She expected to be eating a lot of suppers alone. She sighed as she picked at the chocolate cake that lay before her. Juliet's appetite had vanished only to be replaced by a cold feeling in her gut.

The house was huge, though Juliet saw very little of it that night. She noticed many closed doors and chipping paint. There were paintings of people Juliet didn't recognize with broken frames hanging from the walls.

Digweed led her up a long, winding staircase. They climbed up the tower until they reached a short wooden door. The phrase "the highest room in the tallest tower" came to mind, which made her giggle. She loved fairytales. They were an interesting escape, though at times rather disturbing and grotesque.

The door was too small for Digweed to fit through, but it was just the right size for Juliet. She thanked him for helping her, but he simply smiled and left her alone. She opened the door and felt around for a light switch. When she couldn't find one on the wall, she felt her way around until she reached a small bedside table. There, she located a lamp and turned the key on the side, but nothing happened. Juliet frowned. She pulled a box of matches out of her pocket and struck a match.

Juliet examined the lamp only to discover that it was an oil lamp. The lack of electricity didn't seem to faze her at all. It was a very old manor after all. She lifted the glass and set the piece of rope on fire. Light washed over the room, which Juliet learned was circular. Replacing the glass, she looked around. There was a huge window facing the door that looked out over the little greenhouse. There was a forest, in the distance, that was dark and foreboding. Her thoughts drifted to the boys she had met today, but she shook off the thoughts. There was a large bed near the window with silvery sheets and gold embroidery on the quilt. The bed frame was similar to that of a shell. The pillows were white and filled with goose feathers, which was quite a change from the memory foam she was used to. The walls weren't painted a solid colour, but there was a mural covering the walls. The most noticeable image was of a tall silvery tree with thick roots and weeping branches rose from the floor to the ceiling, which Juliet noticed had just noticed was the purple and blue of the night sky with a hundred white specks were sprinkled across the ceiling.

The mural was of Moonacre valley. Juliet could see Silverydew painted near the foot of a tall hill. It was remarkable.

Her bedside table was white, like her bed frame and the dressing table that stood beside the door. On the wall opposing the bed was a dead fireplace. There was no mantle over the fireplace. A chair stood on the other side of the door. She patted the cushion seat only to have a cloud of dust rise up. Juliet coughed as she took a few steps back. No one had used this room in years.

She backed up into a dark brown trunk that lay at the foot of her bed. If she hadn't been so tired, she may have looked through the chest, but as it stood all she wanted to do was sleep. The tale of Sleeping Beauty came to mind. Going to sleep for a hundred years didn't seem so bad, except the whole being raped and impregnated by a creepy prince bit. Juliet sank into the bed and fell back. She couldn't even bring herself to pull the blankets over her before drifting off into a deep slumber.

Her dreams were dark, literally dark. She couldn't see anything, but she could hear the sounds of children laughing and a ball being bounced. They weren't bad dreams, but they were a little odd. She wondered who dreamed in complete blackness.

The morning light woke Juliet, who cursed herself for not closing the curtains before going to bed. Juliet pulled the sheets off her, realizing that someone had tucked her into bed while she was asleep. Someone also, she noted, had placed a plate filled with butterfly shaped biscuits and a glass of milk on her bedside table. She wondered if it was her uncle or if someone else had crept into her room.

At first, she was a little hesitant to eat the mysterious biscuits as she was from the big city where everyone was taught not to take candy from strangers. However, once the smell of the gingersnaps reached her nose, she couldn't help but take a bite. She didn't regret the bite; in fact, it was probably the tastiest cookie she had ever tasted. She lay back against the bed, smiling at the starry ceiling. She smiled to herself. So far, her Moonacre experience had been anything but uninteresting.

Not so far away, Robin was lying on his bed. His dark eyes were on the small pendant that he held between his thumb and index finger. The mother-of-pearl pendant was crafted in the shape of a small horse. He always kept this memento with him, though he kept it out of sight.

His meeting with the Merryweather girl had left him annoyed and her escape had rattled him even more. Her stubborn and determined behaviour had reminded him of a girl he once knew. This pendant was his only reminder of her.

A lump formed in his throat as he continued to stare at the white horse. Her features were a little hazy in his memory. He knew that she was pale and had a head of red hair.

Or was it brown hair? Was it straight? He pondered as he sat up. Robin gripped the pendant tightly in his hand, so tightly that it made an imprint in his palm. Rage filled him. He couldn't remember what the only girl he ever swore to love. Robin was almost positive that he was no longer among her thoughts either. He couldn't even remember her name.

Anne? Miriam? Sally? He didn't know and it pained him because he didn't know. Though, he had not seen her since he was six years old. She had left the valley with nothing more than a very curt goodbye and an exchange of mementos. Robin wasn't even sure what he gave her in exchange for this pendant.

A knock at the door derailed his train of thought. "Rob," a familiar voice called. "Your father wants to see you."

Robin contained a groan. Being summoned by his father was never a good thing. He was a disappointment to him, everyone in the clan knew that, and it made Robin desperate for his approval. The Merryweather girl would have done that, he thought.

He descended the stone stairwell and walked into the dining hall, where his father and his men were eating sausages and eggs. Mr. de Noir was a round man with long black hair and a beard to match. In many ways, he reminded Robin of Samson.

Robin's father glared up at him. He waved him over, which simply made Robin's skin crawl and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

He walked over to his father, expecting the worst. His father grabbed him by the throat, dragging the boy closer to him. "You useless brat!" his father snarled. His breath made Robin wrinkle his nose. "You had a Merryweather, a female Merryweather in your hands and you just let her get away!" he slapped Robin across the face with the back of his hand. "Get her back."

Robin's cheek stung, but he swallowed the pain and nodded. He would not disappoint his father again. He would have to get this girl, no matter what it took.

Benjamin was sitting at the breakfast table reading a newspaper when Juliet walked downstairs. She hadn't bothered to change, both because she was ready to run if her uncle turned out to be a cruel man and because she didn't have anything else to wear. He looked up at her as she entered the room, folding his newspaper and setting it aside.

He smiled weakly. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she responded, hovering behind a chair. She felt awkward and not welcome enough to simply sit down uninvited.

Benjamin noticed her uneasiness and motioned towards the chair that she stood behind. "Please sit," he offered.

Juliet nodded, taking a seat near him, but a little away from him. "So have you decided what you're going to do with me?" she asked the dreaded question.

Benjamin wiped his mouth with his napkin. He ran a hand through his dark hair and nodded. "I can't exactly turn you out now can I?" he asked. "Annie would have my head if I did," he added. He looked at her. Scanning her face. "I'll take you in."

Juliet rose to her feet and hugged him warmly. "Thank you!" she exclaimed. Juliet was overjoyed that she wouldn't have to sleep in the forest tonight.

"Do you like your room?" he asked once she returned to her seat. "It was your mother's before you, and our mother's before her, and so on since this manor was built."

Juliet smiled brightly. It gave her some joy to know that she was sleeping in the same room as her mother. "I love it," she cried. "It's beautiful."

He seemed pleased with this comment. Benjamin handed Juliet the teakettle. Things were looking up for her.

After breakfast, Juliet walked among the grounds. Her fingers ran along the wall as she walked. The grounds were well kept, though other than Digweed she had not seen any servants or staff of any kind. She wondered how things worked in this strange house. Juliet walked to the greenhouse and peered through the glass wall. There were rows of blossoming flowers growing within the glasshouse, most of which she couldn't name, but she could admire. Juliet thought of entering, but decided that she would rather explore the rest of the manor.

The oak trees grew almost as tall as the house and probably just as old. The urge to climb one was growing stronger by the minute. She glanced around to make sure that Benjamin was not around to yell at her for unladylike behaviour. Once she realized that he was nowhere in sight, she took began to run towards the tree. She pressed her feet against the tree and pushed herself off into the air. Juliet grabbed a hold of one of the lower branches. She pulled herself up into the tree and began to climb. Juliet found a thick branch to perch on. She gazed at the manor with admiration.

Robin stared at the girl with both hatred and interest. She was unlike the other girls who lived in the valley. They were either stuck up or simple minded. None of them wanted to climb trees or would have fought back against he and his boys. None of the other girls would have dared to punch and kick him. They would have screamed for help and tried to scratch them. She intrigued him, but at the same time his father had demanded her capture. He couldn't fail again.

He hid amongst the branches of the oak trees; he was nearly invisible in the shadows. He was free to watch her without being seen. The girl was just sitting on a branch with her legs swinging back and forth. A goofy, lopsided grin curled her pink lips. Her grey eyes were bright with joy. The morning sun struck her bright red curls in a way that made it almost sparkle. The girl was humming a tune that was not familiar but still very pleasant to listen to while he observed her.

Robin wondered what she was thinking of and if she was aware of how many people wanted her dead, he included. Though he wasn't sure why his father wanted her, he guessed that it was because his father wanted to kill off the Merryweather line (Benjamin wasn't going to marry anyone any time soon, leaving only Juliet and her mother). He thought that it was a shame to kill such a pretty girl, but it had to be done.

Juliet pulled a small sketchpad from her pocket along with a pencil. She flipped to a blank page and began to lightly draw the outlines of the manor and surrounding landscape. Tying up her hair in a quick twist, she leaned over her sketchbook with a content smile on her face. She giggled to herself as her drawing began to look more and more like the scenery she was looking at.

The De Noir boy knew that today was not the day to kidnap her. Uncle Benjamin was at home, as was the bumbling Digweed and the demon dog. Besides, it was broad daylight. He would return later that night with his gang to take her away to his castle and to present her to his father. He'll be so pleased, Robin thought excitedly.


	3. Night

Juliet hardly moved as the day progressed. She didn't even come done for lunch, though Digweed did call her down. The fact that her uncle did not come out to coax her down told her that she had saved herself from eating yet another lonely meal. By the time the sun began to dip, she had drawn Wrolf, whom had been sleeping at the base of the tree, the greenhouse, and the ominous forest that lay just beyond the wall. All in perfect detail.

Half of her wanted to explore the deep, dark secrets of the woods, while her other half reminded her of all the horrible things that happened in the forest (grandmas being eaten by wolves, imps stealing babies, and human-eating witches in candy houses). Perhaps there were no man-eating hags within those trees, but there were black clad bandits who wanted to kidnap her for reasons that were unknown to her. She guessed that it had something to do with her family. Juliet really didn't care about this family squabble. All she wanted was wait for her mother to get a job, pay off the debts, and return to art school with all of her toes and fingers intact.

She assumed that to do that, she would have to stay out of trouble and avoid the De Noirs at all possible costs. Though, trouble seemed to follow her no matter where she was. Juliet would become a shut-in if that meant she would be able to stay under the radar.

The sky was streaked with shades of pink and orange. The sun had all but vanished from the sky. Within an hour or two, darkness would consume the heavens, leaving only the stars and the moon to cast light on the earth. Juliet smiled at herself. It was almost poetic.

"Miss Juliet," Digweed called from the house. "Dinner is ready. Please come inside."

Juliet nodded before climbing down the trunk of the tree. She scratched Wrolf's head, startling him, before jogging into the house. Wrolf followed her.

Benjamin was seated at the head of the table. He looked up when Juliet walked into the dining room. "You must be hungry as you skipped lunch," he said as she took her seat.

Juliet was a little surprised that he had noticed her absence, especially seeing as he had not called her inside when lunch was being served. _Did he expect me to know when lunch was ready?_ She wondered. "Sorry," Juliet stammered. "I wasn't hungry."

He shrugged. "Did you enjoy the fresh air?" he asked. Benjamin began picking at his carrots.

"Yes. It was nice to be outside on such a fine day," she replied. "How did you spend the day?" Juliet realized that she knew nothing about her uncle or what he did for a living. For all she knew he could be a hit man. She had never thought to ask him.

He looked up at her as if not expecting the question. "I was in my study," he said. "I had some work that needed to be done."

"What kind of work?"

Benjamin sighed. "I restore old books and manuscripts," he said.

"That's amazing!" Juliet exclaimed.

Her uncle stared at her. "Really? Most people find it rather dull," he said with a sigh. "Few people care for books nowadays."

Juliet shrugged. "I love books," she stated.

Her uncle grinned. "Then maybe one day I will let you see my work."

She nodded. "May I ask you something?" she asked.

Her uncle nodded.

She inhaled slowly. "When I was on my way here I ran into a group of boys all dressed in black. Do you know who they are?"

"Digweed didn't mention anything," he interjected.

"Yes that's because I ran into them before Digweed picked me up," she explained.

He sighed. "They are the De Noirs, a family who live just on the other side of the valley. We've been feuding for centuries," he paused. "I don't think either of us even remember why we are fighting."

He gave Juliet a grave look. "You must avoid them at all possible costs. They are aggressive people and they will hurt you if they get the chance."

Juliet nodded. She had no intention of falling prey to them.

When she returned to her room, Juliet opened the trunk that lay at the foot of her bed. Inside the chest, there were dozens of folded gowns that looked like they were from a different millennium. She picked up an ocean blue dress with black flowers embroidered onto the hem, which reached her mid-calf.

Juliet couldn't help herself; she just had to try it on. She peeled off her clothes and slipped the dress on. It was a little big for her, but it still looked very elegant. Juliet twirled giggled like a little girl. It was childish, but she didn't care. She rushed to the balcony door and stepped outside. The air was a little chilly, but it was pleasant on her skin.

The oak tree was calling her again. She wanted to sit among its branches again, so she pulled on a pair of jeans, grabbed her sketchbook, and raced out of her room. Juliet didn't want to take the dress off, but at the same time, she didn't feel comfortable climbing a tree in nothing but a dress. So she wore both.

Her uncle was in his study again, so he would never know that she had left the house. Wrolf was wandering about the halls, but he ignored her.

The Merryweather girl's room was in the tower to keep her out of harm's way. She was supposed to be perfectly safe, but Robin knew how to climb and he knew how to pick even the strongest of locks. Some six hundred year old tower was not going to keep him from pleasing his father.

With a grappling hook over his shoulder, Robin scaled the wall and entered the garden. He moved swiftly across the grass. All of the lights had been turned off, so he was safe to assume that the inhabitants had gone to bed. He scanned the face of the building. The ledges of the windows and the awnings were close enough together for an easy climb, until the tower, which was windowless except for the balcony all the way at the top. That was when the grappling hook would come in handy.

His faithful men would wait for his signal, and then follow him. He was going to need help carrying the girl away. It may seem easier to just break into the house, but that would rouse the demon dog and they could waste time trying to navigate through the manor.

Then, a light was turned on. Robin pressed himself against the wall, using the shadows to hide himself. His heart was slamming against his chest. He thought for sure that he was caught. His men ducked behind the wall.

The porch light flickered to life before the backdoor opened. The Merryweather girl walked across the lawn to the oak tree she had been sitting in this afternoon. He couldn't help but stare at her. She was dressed in a ocean blue gown that hung loosely on her, but still showed off her feminine figure. It suited her, though the dress was from a completely different era. The moonlight illuminated her face. Robin studied her features as she walked right past him. Her nose was small, almost button like, and her eyes were as round and as big as the moon. Her lips were plump, but not too full.

He shook off the shiver that was making its way up his spine. She was attractive, but he had to ignore his attraction to her because he had a job to do.

Robin watched as she opened the door to the greenhouse and stepped inside. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect opportunity. He dropped the grappling hook and jogged silently over to the greenhouse. He cooed to call his men, who were making their way over the wall.

Juliet turned on the light, illuminating the greenhouse. The smells from the flowers were almost overwhelming, but the smell was a nice reprieve from the musty stench of old wood and dust. Juliet thought that the light from the greenhouse would be enough for her to be able see what she was drawing. It was very bright after all.

"Well, well little princess. Out so late?" a painfully familiar voice mocked from behind her. She turned to see Robin standing in the doorway. His arms were crossed and there was a smug grin on his lips.

Juliet's heart stopped when she realized that there was nowhere to run or hide. She didn't know how she was going to get out of this one. Her plan to stay out of trouble just flew out the window. She wasn't even safe in her own home anymore.

"You're trespassing," she said, trying to sound threatening.

Robin snorted, which obviously meant that her attempt was a failure. "Is that the best you've got? That was a little pathetic," he told her.

Juliet gnashed her teeth together. "Leave me alone! Why can't you just leave me alone!" she demanded.

He shook his head. "Because my father is dying to meet you and he won't stop until he does," he explained, walking towards her with his hands behind his back. "Now are you going to come along quietly or," he smiled devilishly, "am I going to have to force you to come with me."


	4. Kidnapped

Juliet's heart was pounding. Sweat rolled down her neck, but she put on a brave face. "Bastard," she hissed. "Come over here and I'll show you just how much I don't want to come quietly." Her tone was acidic, which only made Robin want to capture her, to win even more.

She balled her hands up into fists and raised them; trying hard to remember the moves she learned in that one aikido class she took when she was eight years old. If all else failed, she could always hit him below the belt.

Robin stepped into the greenhouse. "Come now darling," he said mockingly, "there's no need to ruin that pretty little dress of yours." He scanned her up and down.

He stepped towards her. Robin raised his hand to stroke her hair, but she slapped it away. "Don't touch me."

Robin chuckled as he grabbed her wrists. "I'll do whatever I please," he breathed.

Juliet clawed at the exposed skin on his face. Once she saw that scratching him was not as effective as she had hoped, Juliet raised her knee straight into his gut, causing him to let go of her. Robin gripped his stomach as he stumbled backwards for a few steps.

"Annoying little witch!" he growled, but then he smirked. "You can't keep this up for very long. I'm stronger than you are and a far better fighter." His condescending tone caused her to grind her teeth together. "So just give up already."

"Not going to happen," she snapped, raising her fists again.

Robin sighed. "Come on, just give in," he said. When Juliet did not respond, he groaned, "come on darling. I'd like to get this over with before your uncle wakes up and spoils our fun." He sounded impatient.

Juliet's eyes widened. Her uncle. She had completely forgotten about her uncle. He would surely be able to overpower the De Noir boy. She inhaled sharply through her nose, filling her lungs with air and then she screamed. The scream was so loud that it nearly shook the glass of the greenhouse. It caused Robin's heart to leap into his throat.

She coughed and filled her lungs again, but Robin, now privy to her intentions, moved quickly over to her. He pressed his lips against hers, silencing her. Juliet's eyes grew wide as the kiss continued. She tried to struggle and to get away from him, but Robin's strong arms wrapped around her to keep her in place. He held her hands behind her back with one hand, and the other hand kept her head from moving. She refused to kiss back. Once she discovered that she could not overpower him, she tensed up and remained as still as a statue.

Then, she heard a click and he broke their embrace with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Gotcha," he whispered into her ear.

She squirmed, trying to raise her arms to punch the smug look off of his face, but she found that it was impossible because Robin had handcuffed her wrists together.

"You bastard! Let me go!" Juliet yelled, but he shook his head with a satisfied grin on his face. His dark eyes twinkled in delight. "Can't do that, sweetheart."

Robin stepped closer to her and removed a black handkerchief from his pocket.

Juliet was about to scream again, when he forced the handkerchief into her mouth. She whimpered at the taste of the filthy piece of cloth. "Can't have that now can we?" he whispered huskily.

His men moved into the greenhouse, surrounding the duo. They snickered at her as Robin wrapped the handkerchief around her head. Her eyes narrowed and she kicked him in the shin. He ground his teeth together, but didn't let go of her. He roughly shoved her out of the greenhouse.

"Don't kick me again," he growled, "or else there might be some thorn bushes with your name on them."

Juliet shot him a threatening glare, but he only shrugged it off. He pushed her forward as his men followed behind them. She looked up at the house, hoping that her uncle had heard her cry for help, but the manor was as dark as before. No one had heard her, so no one was coming to her rescue. She fought down the urge to cry. She was too proud to let these ruffians reduce her to tears.

They halted at the wall and Juliet wondered how on earth they planned on getting her over the eight-foot stone wall. She couldn't climb it with her hands bound together and the gate was out of the question because she did not have the key to open it. Did they plan on carrying her? Either way she was very happy that she wore jeans under the dress.

Robin scratched his chin. He said something to his men that she couldn't hear. They nodded and climbed up the face of the wall, leaving Robin and Juliet alone. He turned to her. "Don't make this difficult for yourself," he groaned as he pulled Juliet close to him. Without another word, Robin hoisted Juliet over his shoulder. She tried to kick him, but he growled at her. "You're coming with me whether you like it or not. Now your behaviour will decide whether you ride your own horse or I hit you in the back of the head and throw you over the back of my horse like a sack of potatoes. Lady's choice."

Juliet grumbled, but stopped trying to injury him.

A rope was tossed over the wall. Robin caught it with his free hand and tugged on it to test it. Once he was satisfied, he pressed one foot against the stone and then the other.

Juliet closed her eyes as they scaled the wall. She wasn't afraid of heights, but she was very comfortable with the thought that Robin could drop her at any time and she would plummet to the ground. The fall wouldn't kill her, but it would be enough to severely injure her.

When they reached the top of the wall, Robin chuckled. "Damn you're a lot heavier than you look," he told her. Juliet cried out in outrage. "_I beg your pardon_!" she thought viciously.

He smirked. "Lay off the pasties, darling."

Juliet cried out in outrage. "I am not fat!" she tried to exclaim, slamming her knee into his chest. He groaned. "Watch it or I might drop you on your pretty little face," he warned.

Robin began to climb down the wall to join his mean, who were making comments about looking up her dress. She didn't really care seeing as she was wearing a pair of jeans under the dress. They touched the ground and Juliet was dropped, with a little less care than was necessary. There were five horses waiting for them, one for each man. Immediately Juliet realized that either Robin was planning on killing one of his men (which didn't seem all that unlikely) or she would have to ride along with someone, presumably Robin.

The young DeNoir mounted the black stallion. "Pass her up," he ordered and one of his men grabbed a hold of Juliet and pushed her towards the horse. The black clad man hoisted her into the air and Robin scooped her up in his arms. He pulled her onto the saddle, holding the reins in front if her. Robin pressed her against his chest.

Juliet glared up at him. Most of his face was hidden behind dark fabric, but she could see his rich brown eyes, which were surrounded by black makeup. They seemed familiar for some reason, but she only assumed that it was because brown eyes, especially dark brown eyes were extremely common. She shook off the thought that she had met this vile boy before and began to formulate a plan to escape.


	5. Run!

Robin held the Merryweather girl tightly as they galloped through the forest. Not that he was afraid she would escape as her hands were bound and at the speed they were travelling, she would hurt herself if she jumped. Because of his close proximity to her, he couldn't help but smell her fruity shampoo mixed with the somewhat musty smell of the old dress she was wearing. It had been a long time since he encountered someone who smelled this good. Everyone he knew stank of leather or booze.

Juliet was very aware that she was screwed. Jumping was out of the question and so was beating her capture to a bloody pulp, though that was the more attractive solution. She wouldn't mind kicking Robin below the belt a couple of times. No, she would have to wait until they stopped moving before she could even try to get away.

"Stupid bastard," she said, though the gag muffled her voice.

Robin smirked. "What was that, princess? You want to give me another kiss?" he mocked as he pressed his cheek against the side of her head. His lips were by her ear. "Maybe when we are alone."

Juliet let out a muffled scream. "You disgusting son of a bitch!" she screeched. "I'm going to kill you!"

Despite her mouth being covered, Robin understood every word. "You're going to kiss me, you say? Well if you insist." He pulled on the reins to slow the pace of his horse to a near halt. He took a hold of her chin. The rough, black material of his gloves scraped her pale skin as he turned her face towards him. She glared at him, which only made him laugh.

"If looks could kill, darling, I would be stone cold dead," he breathed. "But since they can't, you are powerless against me." Robin leaned in closer to her. His warm breathed touched her lips, causing the raging pot of anger she had been holding in to boil over. Without even a second thought, she leaned her head back and, with all of the force she could muster, she crashed her head against Robin's. As soon as he let go of the reins, Juliet slid off the horse.

Robin's men laughed as their leader cried out in pain. "Damn that girl is feisty," one of them laughed. "Maybe she should ride with me."

Juliet glared at him. She wanted to tell him to shove something somewhere unpleasant when she realized that she should really be running. Without so much as a glance back at them, she bolted into the forest. She didn't wonder where she was going or if she was going even remotely in the right direction. For all she knew, she was getting herself more and more lost.

"I was born in these woods! I know them like the back of my hand!" Robin yelled after her. "I will find you!"

Juliet had no doubt of that and that scared her. She was a city girl and though she loved the woods, she was more likely to get lost than find her way home. What was she to do? She prayed that Wrolf would find her, that he would warn her uncle and that they would find her before the De Noir ruffians got their dirty hands on her again. However, she was well aware that the chances of that happening were slim to none. Still, she would hope and go down fighting.


	6. Author's Note

Hello my freaky darlings :)

I was just letting those of you who care that I have not abandoned this story, but the next chapter probably won't be up for awhile. Between my university studies and my unbelievable work schedule, i have almost no time to write. So, this story is on hold for the moment. I'll try to get a chapter up by november when my midterms have ended and I can breathe again.

Cheers,

Dravas


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